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Apple Tree Nursery School wins state’s highest award for excellence in early care, education |
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Apr 12, 2007 |
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UT’s Apple Tree Nursery School has received a Three-Star Step Up to Quality Award from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services — Bureau of Child Care and Development.
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| Laila Surdasky, center, mugged for the camera as Nicole Nedrich, Apple Tree Nursery staff member, and Landon Stone, left, and Ian Waite watched. |
The award from the state agency responsible for licensing and promoting high standards among Ohio’s child-care centers recognizes Apple Tree’s excellent program and its ongoing commitment to children.
“Apple Tree is pleased to receive this award. It shows parents that we are serious about the quality of our program,” said Sherry Roush, director of Apple Tree Nursery School. “What this means for families is more and better educated teachers working at our center, a commitment to making early learning an important part of our program, and a higher degree of professionalism all around.”
“We applaud Apple Tree for its commitment to children,” said Terrie Hare, chief of the Ohio Bureau of Child Care and Development. “By going above and beyond Ohio’s minimum licensing standards, Apple Tree gives its young children the opportunity to grow and develop in a stimulating, nurturing environment.”
Step Up to Quality is a voluntary rating system for early care and education centers. Participating centers can earn a one-, two- or three-star rating by meeting an extensive list of quality benchmarks. Experts say these benchmarks improve the growth and development potential of children. The rating system also gives parents a useful tool for selecting quality early childhood programs.
Three-Star Step Up to Quality Centers meet the following criteria:
• Staff/child ratios in all classrooms either meet national high-quality early care and education standards or are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Children.
• All lead teachers have a degree in early childhood education, specialized training on Ohio’s Early Learning Content Standards, and 12 hours of child development training per year, above licensing requirements.
• Center employees receive at least three employee benefits; this policy results in a lower
turnover rate.
In the Buckeye State, 65 percent of children 6 and younger have both parents in the work force, according to the Ohio Bureau of Child Care and Development.
Research shows children enrolled in high-quality early learning programs, particularly low-income children, are more likely to stay in school, attend college, earn more money, and be employed in high-skilled jobs than their peers.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services — Bureau of Child Care and Development piloted Step Up to Quality in nine counties before taking it statewide.
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